A Rider's Tale
by goldenfruitbat99
Summary: When finding shelter for the night, Alanna comes across a cave where she makes a discovery that will change her life forever. This is her tale, as she uncovers a world that was once lost. OFC/Nari the elf who accompanies Eragon to Ellesmera .
1. Prologue

**I've decided to re-upload this. There is a lot of difference or improvement to the Eragon Fan fiction of A Rider's Tale. Hope you all enjoy reading this and I'm so sorry for deleting the fan fiction of this. All I can say is do not let yourself get influenced because of some Eragon haters who attack you for liking something different. This is dedicated to Alyssa Cazares** **or phoenix forever for asking me why I had deleted this, if it hadn't been for her/him this woud never have been re-uploaded. I also want to say that I'm ****PROUD**** for liking Eragon and if anyone has a problem with that fact, then that is your problem...to everyone who likes either the books or the movie, be proud for liking something different from the mindless robots called the Anti haters of Eragon fandom.**

**Now on with what we are here for...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Eragon characters (Mr Paolini owns them) but I do 'own' Alanna, Sutu and Dusty my little creations)**

**Once again I'm so sorry for deleting this story.**

**Prologue:**

Aldric sat silently as he stared at the dead young woman. Only ten hours ago she had came stumbling into the local tavern crying in agony as she clutched frantically at her great swollen stomach. Everyone in the tavern were shocked to the core, but they did not make any move to help the young woman who was crying out in pain. Nor did they bother to think of getting the nurse maid from two blocks down to help instead they had spun back around to their tankards of ale and continued as if nothing had happened. However Aldric who had enough sense to send one of his men to go to the nurse maid's cottage and fetch her, acted. Grabbing the agonised woman round the shoulders he led her up to his rented room and as gently as he could sat her down on the bed and attempted at his best to sooth the woman. Luckily within minutes the nurse maid had appeared in the room and took charge. After three hours of harsh labour did the child come squealing into the world. The nurse cleaned and wrapped the child, a baby girl in warm wrappings and carefully placed the child in the mother's arms and left mother and daughter to wash and clean up.

As Aldric made to move the woman held out her hand to stop him, he clambered back to his place were he had been during the birth and frowned for something was not quite right. The woman made another gesture, this time inviting him to come towards the bed. He obeyed and kneeled down so he was level to her.

"Thank you." She rasped as she took one of his hands in her own, "Thank you for your kindness, for not many people would have helped the way you did."

Aldric blushed slightly, "It is no problem milady, I live to help people in their hour of need." he declared proudly.

The woman smiled weakly. Aldric glanced at the small bundle in her arms, "What will you call you're babe milady?"

She smiled in reply "Alanna after my mother."

"It's a beautiful name for such a beautiful little baby." Aldric answered gently, something definetly was not right. The woman gave a small smile and grimaced, "I feel as though all my energy has been depleted. I feel so weak and tired." She whispered quietly, her voice matching her words as she spoke.

Aldric grabbed her hand and squeezed reassuringly, "I'm sure it is perfectly normal to feel that tired and weak after the birth." He reassured.

The woman laughed quietly, "This is not like my first child."

He was puzzled and bewildered, "Where is your child? If he or she is outside or have been left waiting in the tavern I will go down and fetch him or her."

He watched as she shook her head sadly, "My son does no longer live, he was still born." She made another grimace, "I found out that same day that I could not have children or if I did my child or I would die at or after the birth." She explained with sorrow, "I feel that I am the one to die and I will gladly die for I have lived a life full of misery, despair and uncertainty after my husband died." She squeezed her eyes in pain, "but I regret that I will not be able to watch this child, my little Alanna growing up into a wonderful young woman with hopes, happiness and certainty in her life." tears began to fall down her cheeks as she talked.

Aldric wrapped his arms around her in comfort, "I will look after her, you will not have to fear for her." he said softly. "I will raise Alanna as my own and she will have everything you wish her to have." As he gave his oath, the child in her arms began to cry and Aldric knew that the woman had died. He carefully removed his arms from around the young womans form and picked up the baby girl in his own arms and sat down on the bed next to her mother.

Thus it was how he was found when the nurse maid had come to check on her charge, after explaining what had happened Aldric sent for his men to come up to his room. The men both young and old, thin and fat, fair haired and dark haired watched in utter amazement as they looked upon the little girl in their leader's arms.

"My fellow Rangers, meet Alanna my daughter."

**Sooo what do you think? Please let me know.**


	2. The Beginning

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own any of the Eragon characters (Mr Paolini owns them) but I do 'own' Alanna, Sutu and Dusty my little creations.**

**Chapter Summary:**

**Eighteen years later, Alanna is part of the Rangers. After a vicious battle, where she and her faithful steed Dusty are separated from the rest of the rangers, Alanna must survive in the wilderness until she can regroup with her 'family'. When finding shelter for the night, she comes across a cave where she makes a discovery that will change her life forever.**

****

**Been a while since I loaded, here's the next chapter and I hope that you like it.**

* * *

**Chapter one: The Beginning**

Blood splattered all over, the stench of death and decay hung in the air and the deathly silence that joined hand in hand was utterly daunting to anyone who stood in the silence of the forest of the Spine. For Alanna, this was a part of her life she had led ever since she was old enough to join her father and the other rangers in fighting the King's minions. For over eighteen years she had lived with the rangers, moving from place to place, fighting men and urgals alike. For anyone else, the life she led would have been quite daunting and weary but for Alanna, she lived for this way of life. Her green eyes glanced around the forest catching glimpses of bodies strewn about, until they caught sight for what she was actually searching for. Not far off to where she was standing stood her five year old bay stallion, Dusty. Her father, Aldric had bought Dusty for Alanna when they stopped in a small farming village called Carvahall four years previously. After all as Aldric had joked, Alanna couldn't ride Maqq, an old roan horse any longer since she was getting too much of a handful for the old stallion. Every since that day both Dusty and Alanna had formed a bond that would never be broken, looking at each other, dark eyes meeting green an unspoken understanding passed between horse and ranger. They had become separated by the garrison of urgals that had attempted to pass into the Spine from the other Rangers after the battle had broken out between men and beasts. Now Alanna felt utterly lost and anxious, this was the first time she had ever been separated from Aldric and the others and she was frightened.

She raised her hand in gesture for Dusty to approach then turned around to decide on the best and likely route to which the surviving rangers would have taken after the battle. To head east would be a much wiser course for her to take but she was unsure, especially to embark on her decision when the light of the day was lessening was too dangerous to be out especially in the Spine, she needed to find shelter for the night before embarking east but where to find such shelter as she began to think a solid butt knocked her shoulder.

"Dusty, you have made me loose my trail of thought." She said angrily to the horse that looked as though he had done nothing wrong. "Now, what was I going to do again?" It took her only a brief moment to remember what decision course she was deciding on, then she grabbed Dusty's reins and led the horse on and on, deeper into the forest. After an hour of searching, horse and human came across what they where searching for, a small non-leak able cave was just perfect for what they both needed to spend the night in. After removing her outer tunic, bow, quiver and sword scabbard Alanna then started to remove Dusty's saddle, stirrups and bridle. Making sure that the horse was well settled for the night she dropped to the floor and slept, dreaming nice dreams of an unknown silver haired young man with a ready smile...

_Whoosh!_

She awoke with a jolt; startled and groggy Alanna reached for her sword and pulled it from her scabbard before glancing around. Her eyesight was poor in the dark but she could just make out the outline of Dusty and the mouth of the cave, her green eyes scanned around the rest of the cave, till they focused on an object that was rather oddly shaped. Perhaps she should wait till it became light?

"I'm curious now, what would be the point in waiting till it is morning to find out what this thing is." She whispered to herself before moving in to get a closer look.

On inspection the oddly shaped object was an oval shape unlike the jagged and mismatched rocks around the cave. Alanna reached a tentative hand out to touch the oval shape, the brusquely drew it back away with a gasp, the object was smooth not like the roughness of the rocks in the cave. She picked the smooth oval shaped rock and placed it inside her under tunic pocket she would have to inspect it more thoroughly in the morning. Sunlight flittered into the cave awakening its occupants. Yawning, Alanna awoke rather well rested, stretching out she felt a hard object collide with her abdomen. It took her a while to figure out what it was that collided rather hard with her until she remembered what happened late that night. Carefully taking out the stone, she noted that it was emerald green which was unusual. Was it some sort of emerald? Whatever it was, she thought the best cause of decision would be to test it out by scratching it with her sword, tapping it with a rock and finally dropping it from level height. The first two tests were a disappointment, when she tried to scratch the surface a scratch did appear on the emerald stone but the line quickly flared silver and vanished which left her utterly bewildered. The second test was no better either, when she tapped it with a rock a strong tapping sound echoed back from the stone. _Now test number three,_ she prepared as she picked up the opal emerald in her two hands but before she could rise the stone up to drop a loud crack sounded startling not only herself but Dusty who had been rather amused whilst watching his owner's antics. Another crack sounded, Alanna dropped the stone and took several paces back, sword at the ready. Another crack sounded then silence, just as Alanna was starting to cautiously walk over, the entire emerald shattered into pieces. Dusty gave a frightened whinny whilst Alanna ducked and gave a yelp of fright. Weird squeaking sounds sounded from where the emerald used to be.

_Oh gods, I've done what Aldric told me never to do, _she thought anxiously, _I've frightened easily and let my guard down and even worse dropped my sword. _Alanna covered her face with her arms and waited, feeling that the end was near. The shock she received when a rough leathery tongue poked itself through the gab between her arms and licked her face. Slowly Alanna looked up and startled once again,

"This can not be happening, a d-dr-dra-drag-dragon!!" She stuttered at the sight of the emerald green creature, "I thought that they where only stories, STORIES." She felt mad for talking aloud but then again she always did, she felt much madder for repeating "stories" over and over. The little creature, _dragon _she corrected looked rather haunty and bored at the sight of this she-human muttering and playfully tried to catch its tail.

Alanna studied the creature more thoroughly; its small leathery green wins were folded back on its back, its little talons sharp as a dagger and finally its head, rather like a reptile's yet unlike a reptile's. The little dragon glanced up at her as though it was aware of her scrutiny and let out persistent bars of squeaks.

_I guess it is probably hungry, it will have to wait until I've found Aldric and the others or until I find civilisation at least._ Out loud she told it, "Look, I know you are hungry but you will have to wait till later on till we find my father." However the explanation she had given the dragon was not good enough, it let another squeak then it stretched out its rather long scaly neck to touch her left palm. The next thing that happened was a wave of shock and pain, Alanna felt as though she was on fire yet terribly cold at the same time. When the dragon pulled away the pain stopped abruptly, she cast a suspicious glance at the dragon that was busy cleaning one of its talons whilst looking at her from one big emerald green eye as though it was watching what her reaction would be. She turned her palm over and examined it, a strange silvery-white circular shape was appearing, and she glanced at the dragon and asked;

"What did you do?" _What have you done to me? _She inwardly thought.

The dragon squeaked again and again until it began to annoy her, "Look would you just STOP that inferno squeaking, I'm lost and separated from my family, I don't quite no what to do and NOW I have to look after you and this SQUEAKING!" She roared. The little dragon visibly gulped and backed away, realising that she had rather hurt its feelings and that the little creature didn't deserve her anger, anxiety or hurt Alanna reoffered her left hand palm up and spoke soothingly to it.

"Look, I'm sorry it was just a lousy difficult day yesterday and you don't deserve my anger." The dragon seemed to realise that her words where an apology and it slowly came crawling towards her outstretched palm and licked it. Alanna laughed feeling a great weight fall over her, "I guess you need a name huh?" She paused to think, what was this little dragon? Male or Female? She didn't know, nor did she know how to find out. "Well I don't know what you are little dragon but I'll give you a name, how about Marqwen?" She suggested but to the dragon's obvious disgust at the name she began to suggest others. Obviously she was not going to get out of the cave today, she thought as she spared a look out of the entrance, _perhaps tomorrow_. A squeaking called her attention back to the present,

"Look, you don't like any of the names I've given you and since I don't know if you are a male or female you will have to wait until I find someone who knows." She said exasperated, "Now, I think it's time that we go to sleep early for we have to wake up really early tomorrow to get a head start." She told the dragon as she began to settle for the night. She was just about to doze of when she felt something snuggle up against her chest, Alanna opened her eyes just a crack to see the creature snugly against her side. "Goodnight my little dragon sweet dreams," she whispered to the little animal, and then slightly loudly she called goodnight to Dusty who was dozing peacefully near her. Alanna took one final look around the cave then slowly drifted off to sleep. Little did the three of them realise that soon they would not be the only occupants sharing the cave that night...

**

* * *

****Is that an okay cliff hanger? Anyway what did you think about this chapter Good or Bad? Any helpful comments? REMEMBER if you are going to review PLEASE NO FLAMES ONLY CONSTRUCTIVE Criticism!!**


End file.
